*Jack's P.O.V.*

The sunlight I woke up to the next morning was brighter than I had ever seen it. Filtering through the atrium above it illuminated the slowly spinning Earth and left me temporarily blinded. Glancing about in the glare of sun-beams I was nearly again blinded by the fiery girl in her sand and red metal armor. The sun caught in front of her and I watched the smile spread across her face as flames licked at her hair. Flushing, I sat up from where we passed out in our chairs, watching to see if she would do anything. However, she just stood in that spot of sunlight, relishing the small warmth it could give her, her eyes closed peacefully. Now how was I going to get out of there without disrupting her? She looked so serene standing in the Sun's light... I didn't want to interrupt-

"Come join me..."

"E-eh?"

She half-turned with her eyes alight and a honey gold, holding a hand out for me.

"Come join me in the light Jack... it's very comforting. Besides, it's not like you'll melt!" she laughed.

I felt my cheeks flare up and I sighed rubbing the back of my neck. It was kind of stupid of me to believe I would, and I denied her hand, standing up. Walking over beside her, I flashed her a quick grin when she dropped her hand. It was her turn to blush and she looked to the floor, hands clasped.

"That's right... I had forgotten that I burn you. My apologies.."

I shook my head and smiled looking up through the glass, squinting at the harsh sunlight.

"It's okay. I know, it's hard to remember."

There was a long silence for a bit and I heard her exhale. Glancing over, her hair had lost some of its vibrancy and her skin paled the slightest. A little worried, I opened my mouth to protest when she grabbed my hand. Expecting me to flinch back, she opened her eyes and looked up at me with the cutest frown on her face. Her eyes were a dark gold and bottomless, filled with both hope and fear of rejection. I was surprised myself; her temperature had moderated now and was at least closer to human degree. Maybe one with a high fever, but human nonetheless.

"I don't want to burn anybody anymore..." she sighed.

"I want to be light, but not if it means I can't be close to you.."

I felt myself blushing badly but I didn't pull my hand away in case it offended her. She smiled lightly, holding my hand in both of hers... Her hands are so soft...

"I will try to cool down for you... for everyone Jack... Because that old me, is dead and gone hidden away in her lamp."

She beamed up at me.

"She is lost in Arabia, but here, I am good. I will do anything it takes to prove that to the other Guardians!"

She looked back to the ceiling and watched the light filter further within the room.

"Ah, nearly sun-high! Do not worry about me, I will fix this situations myself!"

She went up on her toes and kissed my forehead, ruffling my hair before taking off, running towards the door. Two minutes... three minutes. I had no clue how long I had been standing there, flabbergasted, but still I had. Starting to snap out of it, I felt on corner of my mouth twitch upwards in a small, lop-sided smirk and I ran a hand through my hair with a soft sigh. That girl really was something...

*Aaina's P.O.V.*

I smiled the whole way up the large stair-cases taking it two steps at a time. Upon reaching the top however, it took me a few moments of contemplation to locate the conferencing room that I was first introduced to after I awoke. Deciding to go left, something caught my foot and I looked down curiously to see a small tendril of dream-sand around my ankle. Following the cord, I beamed at my friend peeking from a room.

"Sandman!"

He cast me a faint smile and pointed to the pair of red doors down his hallway and I beamed skipping that way as he released me.

"Oh, I am owing you thanks!"

He shook his head, indicating no need, and drifted after me with a sleepy look on his golden face. Gently grabbing a handle, I looked to him, for a split second I was unsure, but he nodded and I forced them open with all my might. Peeking through the hinges as he entered in front of me, I smiled, seeing the three other Guardians halt an apparent argument to watch the door wearily. I smiled around at the bunch of them, following in suit of the Sandman. He floated over to his seat, laying his arms on the table and resting his head as I went to the one edge of the rounded table in front of everyone, slamming my hands on its surface.

"I have something I am needing to say!"

All four Guardians in the room raised their gazes to mine, Sandy only turning his head for a better view. With a small smile my gaze swept across them and I cleared my throat to speak. Suddenly serious, nobody moved.

"I am willing to stay amongst you. Alarming as my past may be, I have had more than enough times to regret what I have done and am trying to forget it. I am deeply ashamed by what I accomplished in my past, but that is exactly what it is, past time."

I sighed, gripping the table, trying my hardest not to burn the wood.

"You can vote it out, but I already have two against you, and know very well I will get a third. This is what you call majority rule? I would appreciate if you quit bickering over my past as if I do not already know the bad I had committed myself to. I was damned for years in that lamp, agonized, realizing the pain and sorrows I have brought my people. But I am no longer the tyrant I was before!"

For a few long, awkward moments I glared under the scrutiny of North's chilly gaze but still, I spoke.

"Jack has taught me, the ways of this world are not through violence, and I realize now what a fine line lay between the goods and the evils. I see that the balance between us, the good-"

I pointed to an open window as if my once sworn-friend was outside,

"and HIM, the bad of this world, is a fragile and unsteady one. I wish only to equal that balance. I have heard that he is growing stronger, and that you might need help. I will fight if I must, sacrifice what I can, and die for each and every Guardian here at this table!"

I shouted, making my point clear. Gaze softening I felt my eyes droop a bit with sadness as I again jabbed at the window.

"There are lives, millions, BILLIONs of human lives out there that need aiding. Every single human, be it man or woman, elder or child, I vow to protect them!"

I scowled down at the table, dropping my hand.

"If I must give you more, then you must make this apparent. Tell me what I must do!"

North rose abruptly and when I looked up, I held his steely gaze with equal vigor. He seemed angry, so I stopped lecturing and stood there, ready for his rage. However, with him searching my eyes, almost hopefully, time ticked slowly on and he did not lash out. Bunnymund had his feet propped up on the table, Tooth's eyes flitting back and forth about the room revealing her uneasiness. But still nobody dared to speak, dared to BREATHE. Suddenly, one of North's huge arms flashed out and I stood still, tall and brave expecting a punch... but one never came. Inspecting his stature, a small grin began to sprout on my face as I hesitantly reached out and shook his open hand. He let go as he finished, and rested both hands on the table, looking about the room with his own smile blossoming beneath his beard.

"I vote that she can stay! She has proved herself true!"

He broke out in a fit of humble laughter and Tooth nervously smiled, starting to brighten up. Bunny, flabbergasted looked from me, to North, then back to me with disbelief. North helped himself to my side of the table and lifted the whole of me into the air, hugging me generously as Sandman cheered on in silence, a giant grin on his lips. Tooth's hand shot up and she beamed.

"I say she can stay!"

North's smile brightened and we all kind of looked awkwardly at Bunny. He stared back for a few minutes pretending not to understand before finally, with a heaving sigh, he shrugged.

"Agh, I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep 'er here for a while..."

"Yay!"

I giggled as North set me down, lucky to breathe, only to be hugged by Tooth next and lifted and spun. I gasped, a little out of breath as she whirled me about with a sing-song voice.

"How wonderfulllll~ We're going to be best friends from now on, 'kay? Oooooh! I just can't wait until we get you your own room!"

She froze abruptly, my eyes rolling about my head, glaring at North.

"She IS living here right? You'll have a room prepared?"

He smiled nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"Of course, of course! ^U^"" I'll get the yetis right on it."

My head snapped up and though I couldn't see him straight I was trying pretty damn hard to.

"Did you just say yetis!?"

*Jack's P.O.V.*

I chuckled lightly to myself, leaned against the wall as I watched Aaina race about like a kid. She had her first encounter with a yeti about two hours ago and now they were playing tag. Sometimes, she was utterly adorable. It was almost hard to believe she would dare hurt a fly, much less people. However, the side of her, aflame, back in Arabia he had seen only briefly proved it all. How could she so easily forgive and forget? She knew the dangers in the things she did but still she was care-free. How does she do it? I was half in my own day-dream, leaned against my staff when I felt a presence beside me and smiled down at a sleepy Sandman. He beamed up at me and shrugged, pointing to Aaina. His smile softened as she nearly tripped over her feet, hand covering her eyes. They were now playing Marco polo or at least... Marco Errrrrr. He drew out a few things with his dream sand and not understanding, I frowned. With a light, breathless sigh he shook his head and the sand reformed into a father cradling a child. Narrowing my eyes, a bit confused, I guessed.

"Parent?"

He nodded quickly, the sand dissipating and he jabbed his thumb at his chest with pride. A sand-pen appeared in his hand and he held up a legal document of sorts (also sand), scrawling his name onto the bottom in glittering yellow cursive. I beamed and looked back at Aaina with a smile as she narrowly missed a wall, Tooth turning her around.

"Adoption?"

He nodded, smiling really big, hands clasped at his chest as he watched her at play.

"So... she's going to be your daughter from now on?"

Again he nodded, even more prideful.

"I think... she'd like that..."

I smirked, looking back at Aaina who was now stumbling this way, one hand out to guide her at least. She giggled, confused by the darkness and ended up patting my chest. I chuckled, grabbing her hand and lowering it away from me.

"Try again."

She peeked out from between her fingers and glanced to Sandman with a grin before bowing.

"Oh yes, I am sorry Jack. I am not good at this game-"

There was a growl from a yeti and her face lit up as she covered her eyes again.

"But I will get him! I won't give up; I never give up!"

She spun around, unveiling her eyes again and shooting me a soft glare.

"Which is reminding me, you owe me one wish!"

"Damn it!"